Until you have held a tiny puppy in your arms as it kissed your face with slobbery puppy breath and felt the love,

Until you have held a severly ill or injured dog in your arms and felt their pain,

And until you have looked into the eyes of a tired, aging senior dog and felt their wisdom, you will never understand the life of a rescuer.

We find beauty in the most incomprehensible places and the otherwise homely faces. It is our gift to see beyond the dirt, terror, sadness and defeat and find the true soul that lies within.

We are rescue.

Kathie Sullivan-Parkes 2006

What is "Rescue"?

Rescue first and foremost is a volunteer job....none of us are paid nor do we receive government funds. We do this because we love the Cocker Spaniel breed and want to help so many Cockers who desperately need our help! Most of our Volunteers work full time jobs, have homes, families and pets of their own to care for in addition to the activities they perform for the rescue. Please be patient and take this into consideration when you are inquiring about one of our dogs or waiting for us to process your application. It is also very much appreciated that if you do call, you realize that the phone number is someone's home. Please do not call before 9 am or after 8 pm unless you are requested to do so. Most of the time our contact with you is via email, unless you are not online. Your patience is very much appreciated.

What is "A Reputable Rescue"?

--Ensures all dogs are healthy, up to date on all shots, heartworm tested/on prevention, and have received necessary vet care before placement.
-- Spays/neuters all dos before placement.
--Temperament tests all pets before placement.
--Works carefully to match up the right forever home with the right dog, based on the dog's needs/personality/etc.
--Requires an Adoption Application and Adoption Agreement.
--Screens every potential adopter with a mandatory home placement visit before a og is placed there. Our policy is not to ship dogs.
--Requires an Adoption Agreement which includes a legal clause to have the dog returned to this rescue if the new adopter relinquishes it.

Where do rescue dogs come from?

Rescue dogs come from a variety of circumstances and places. Some are from shelters, having arrived as strays or owner-surrenders. Some are from Puppy Mills or Commercial Breeding Operations. Others are from people who cannot keep their dog for a variety of reasons. Some of the more common ones are:

-- "We have no time for a dog."
-- "We're moving.and can’t take the dog with."
-- "A family member is allergic to the dog."
-- "The dog does not get along well with children."
-- Changes in lifestyle due to divorce, remarriage, or owner health issues.

Where are the dogs located?

We do not have a central location (like a shelter) where the dogs are located. These dogs are taken into our homes and treated as members of our family until they become a member of yours! We are not a shelter nor do we have set hours. We do not allow "Drop Ins" to just stop in to see the dogs. We do attend a number of events so that people can meet some of the dogs that we currently have available for adoption. Check out our Scheduled Events Page to see where we'll be. If there is a dog in particular that you are interested in meeting at a specific event, please email Elaine@cockerrescue.com ahead of time to let us know so that we can try to have that dog at that event.

How do you know the dogs are healthy and will make good pets?

We do our best to insure that all dogs are temperament tested (remember they are living in our own homes) and that they are seen by a vet. However all dogs react differently in a different environment. We recommend that you take an Obedience or Canine Good Citizenship Class with your adopted dog. Especially important with young dogs.

Aren't rescue dogs usually abused or neglected, making them dangerous?

Most rescue dogs are the result of bad decisions, being acquired with insufficient preparation and research. As for those that have been abused or neglected, many spend months in their foster homes being rehabilitated, before being listed as Available for Adoption. New owners tell us these dogs seem to understand their good fortune and respond by demonstrating an especially attentive and loving attitude.

How much does it cost to adopt a rescue dog?

We incur considerable expense for every cocker we rescue. This cost includes shelter fees, spaying or neutering, vaccinations, heartworm testing, medications, grooming, quality food and transportation expenses which include intaking, vetting and placing the dogs in their new homes. We also have other expenses such as advertising, event costs, and special treatment and surgeries. We require a fee for every adoption to cover some of these expenses. However, adoption fees are not based on how much the dog has cost the rescue. Our adoption fees are based on the age of the dog and found on our Adoption Process Page. In general, a dog adopted from rescue will cost more than a dog adopted from a shelter. That's because the rescue has taken on the extra expense to provide the dog with all necessary vaccinations, heartworm testing and other necessary vet care; we fully temperament assess the dog; we also work with the dogs on housetraining and start basic obedience training. Not all shelters can afford the same level of treatment because most shelters are required to accept all animals dropped into their care, whereas rescues can choose which dogs they accept. When they're "full", rescues can turn dogs away. We don’t like to have to turn any dog away, but we do have to have a place for the dog to go. Foster Homes are our greatest need.

Try as we may, we just can't do it all.. Donations are needed and very much appreciated!!